One fight can change everything in boxing, whether it be for better or worse. After a fighter suffers a devastating knockout loss, it’s only natural that questions arise. People tend to wonder how the fighter will respond to the knockout and whether or not he will be able to come back from it.
IBF Junior Welterweight Champion Lamont Peterson was in that same type of situation last May after suffering a shocking third round knockout loss to the hard hitting Argentinean Lucas Matthysse, in a non title bout that was fought at the welterweight limit. Leading up to the fight, most people felt that it would be a competitive match-up, and I don’t think anyone expected that it would only last three rounds. Who would have thought that the normally durable Peterson would have been dispatched so quickly?
Peterson got the chance to redeem himself last month, in his hometown of Washington DC, against the number one ranked IBF junior welterweight contender Dierry Jean, in a title defense at the DC Armory.
Although Jean didn’t have a stellar resume going into the fight, he was still thought to be a solid fighter with good speed, power, and a style that could possibly present problems for Peterson.
After a competitive four rounds in the beginning of the fight, Peterson seemed to pull away and ended up winning a clear cut unanimous decision. “It went the way I thought it would be. It was exactly as I expected. I knew he wouldn’t be a push over. I felt I was the better fighter, the bigger fighter with more experience, and those are three key things to winning the fight, and I knew I would take advantage of it and win the fight pretty easy,” Peterson explained.
Now that Peterson has gotten himself back in the win column and looked as sharp as ever against a solid opponent, he feels that he’s ready for the best the division has to offer. He would like either a rematch with Lucas Matthysse or a fight with WBA, WBC, and Ring Junior Welterweight Champion Danny Garcia.
When asked who he felt that he matched up with better Garcia or Matthysse and which fighter would be the tougher opponent, Peterson responded, “Even before I fought Matthysse, you know in my mind, just watching film and things like that and watching both guys fight, I felt that Matthysse would be a tougher fight for me than Garcia.” He went on to say, “I’m not saying that Danny is better or Matthysse is better. I just feel like as far as my style and the way things match up that Matthysse would be a tougher fight for me.”
Regardless of who he ends up fighting next, whether it be Garcia or Matthysse, Peterson will no doubt have his work cut out for him, and it will be very interesting to see him in there against either man.
Listen to the full interview here: http://www.blogtalkradio.com/thaboxingvoiceradioshow/2014/02/07/lamont-peterson-julian-williams-barry-hunter-live-on-tha-boxing-voice-radio
